Fry
Yotam Ottolenghi's Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce
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115 Reviews
SB7606
September 4, 2023
The sweetness from the fresh corn combined with the salty, cheesy feta and topped with the tangy tomato and eggplant was *so good*. My significant other said, "I could eat buckets of this."
gailsamuelson
January 8, 2023
Love the fresh corn polenta! We reduce the cheese and butter amounts down a bit. The eggplant is a bit fussy to make though good.
Sarah G.
August 20, 2022
My only quibble with this recipe is that it produces a hopelessly small amount of the sauce and the polenta. They should provide amounts such that I could fill one hot tub with the polenta and the other with the sauce. I didn't just want to eat it, I wanted to cavort in it. OMG it's amazing!
Madison
August 13, 2022
This recipe was a huge hit, so much so that, since it’s corn season where I live, I’ll be buying a few dozens of fresh corn cobs that I will prep for my freezer in order to make it a few times during winter. Did I mention it was a huge hit? Actually, to quote Zenqui, « it’s life changing » 🙂
megan
June 17, 2022
I've never made polenta before and never even eaten polenta, either, but this photo looked so darn tasty I had to try it. I'm glad I did - it's very good! It cooked fast and was easy to make. I did not have any white wine on hand so I used veggie broth instead, but I'm sure it would have been even more delicious with the white wine. The eggplant on top was delicious. I think next time I might find something crunchy to add to the top, too, to give it a little more contrast with the textures. The polenta is obviously soft and so is the eggplant sauce, so I think something crispy or crunchy would take this to the next level. But anyway, this is a great recipe! I can't wait to play around with it more.
Steve
March 20, 2022
Easy, quick and super. I just used regular polenta from a mix. Would be great over pasta, potatoes, rice, bread. Anything.
Zenqi
March 22, 2022
I don't mean to be snarky here at all, so please don't take this the wrong way.
Respectfully, please give it another go. One of the best things about this recipe is the polenta. It's NOTHING like regular polenta from a mix, so you really missed what this recipe is all about. And yes, I've used the sauce on pasta and gnocchi - but believe me, the "real recipe" is life changing.
Respectfully, please give it another go. One of the best things about this recipe is the polenta. It's NOTHING like regular polenta from a mix, so you really missed what this recipe is all about. And yes, I've used the sauce on pasta and gnocchi - but believe me, the "real recipe" is life changing.
Luciemom
August 8, 2021
I have made this a few times using a technique I thought I’d seen here, but I guess not. Anyway, remove the kernels and save the corn cobs, then simmer the cobs for half an hour and use that water to cook the corn for your polenta. Makes for a more intense corn flavor and guests have just about fainted with pleasure!
Franca
August 4, 2021
This was sublime. It's corn and eggplant season, therefore I anticipate eating this ridiculously often for the next month or so. Ottolenghi is the ultimate food Rockstar!
Bevi
October 10, 2020
Terrific. I also added goat cheese and extra salt and pepper to the polenta. I served with store-bought naan to sop up polenta and eggplant sauce.
Susan
August 23, 2020
This is fantastic. I followed the recipe as written with the exception of adding the corn water back in. The consistency was close to mashed potatoes and it just required a bit of simmering. This is a great combination.
suzanne
August 21, 2020
Made the eggplant portion last night with eggplant and tomatoes from the garden and liked it. Added some sauteed onion but otherwise followed recipe (but doubled it). My eggplant disintegrated so that it was more a thick sauce with bits vs chunks like in the photo - but no matter. Hated thinking abut all the oil we were consuming but frying the eggplant is what made it better than a normal dish.
Benjamin M.
May 15, 2020
Question please - Has anyone enjoyed this dish cold? Or room-temperature after refrigeration? Or would it get gelatinous or otherwise disagreeable? Thx.
Lusty D.
May 15, 2020
I think it could be eaten at room temperature, I think it's meant to be eaten hot and it's really good hot.. I think the polenta would become cake like, not very good.
Zenqi
March 22, 2022
I have, and it's mouth watering. That being said, I did it "the morning after" when I was craving it - again. I wouldn't necessarily serve it that way, but It's just a mind blowingly delicious recipe.
Bevi
April 5, 2022
I have eaten the eggplant portion cold on a piece of toasted bread smeared with mayo. The polenta will harden and you can cut a wedge and fry it and then put some heated eggplant sauce on top. Both great takes on the original dish for next day eating.
Ethyl
September 26, 2019
I also used the microwave cooking method for the corn before pureeing it -- I think this helped keep it from being watery, because it thickened up really well. Since fresh sweet corn is on the sweet side, I opted to stir in a spoonful or two of the Trader Joe's Zhoug sauce, which added a really nice hit of spice and freshness to balance the sweetness.
jencordes
June 14, 2019
I thought this was really good. I get how others may have thought the corn was too sweet but it was fine for us. So fresh tasting. I did follow the microwave method in cooking the corn. Took the kernels off the cob, microwaved with 1-2 T water for 5-6 minutes and then finished in the food processor. I made the eggplant as written (though doubled) and thought it was great. I just wanted to note that I made both the eggplant, etc., and polenta, a day ahead, minus the addition of feta and butter, which I added as I reheated the next day. Everything was delicious and did not suffer sitting overnight in the fridge. That could be a game changer for dinner parties. I may try making regular polenta with 2 cobs of corn kernels added next time just to mix things up.
Matt M.
March 19, 2019
So a tip that might help, after cooking and draining the kernels I run them through a hand crank food mill w a medium grater which will squeeze out excess water, sugars & starches which I reserve and then run the kernels through my food processor.
After a couple minutes in the food processor I put the corn back into the an empty pan and use the reserved water from the mill to add to the corn to get the consistancy I want. If you don't have a food mill I'm sure using a cheese cloth or a tea towel would work too.
After a couple minutes in the food processor I put the corn back into the an empty pan and use the reserved water from the mill to add to the corn to get the consistancy I want. If you don't have a food mill I'm sure using a cheese cloth or a tea towel would work too.
Zenqi
November 10, 2018
I've made this recipe several times (from the cookbook). I'm glad to see the comments about using less liquid because every time I've made it, it never comes out as "mashed potato consistency," regardless of how long I cook it (and I've cooked it VERY long). Aside from that, this recipe is so incredibly full of flavor and wonderful texture. I've literally told my husband repeatedly that if I had a choice for my last meal, this would be it. Now that I know about using less liquid, it'll be even easier. We even grow our own eggplant and tomatoes to make this dish. BTW, I tried it once with frozen corn and canned tomatoes and it was terrible.
Gabi
August 27, 2018
I have Ottolenghi's book and the recipes are usually great. I did not like this dish at all. The polenta tasted so sweet, almost like dessert. The eggplang was very bitter, maybe salting and letting it strain before cooking it would have helped. I was so dissapointed that I would not even trying making the recipe again.
epicharis
August 22, 2018
This was very good, and we didn't find the polenta too sweet at all. But the strength of this dish is really how fast it is. If you cut the corn and chop the tomatoes and eggplant the day prior, this entire dish comes together in almost no time. This is a weeknight star for sure.
Emily
August 22, 2018
Other than the second degree burn (yeah, the polenta really does sputter) this was awesome. I held the cooking liquid aside and only ended up using a little bit of it. The corn would have been far too runny otherwise. Used an immersion blender as mentioned by others to save on dishes and it worked just fine.
S. R.
July 11, 2018
Its ok. A smidge bland. I ended up mashing up about 4 cloves of garlic in mortar and pestle with some salt, olive oil and lemon juice and added it to the still hot tomato stew. I also added some chopped up green olives, just because I like the tomato and olive combo. I ended using about 3/4 of the feta and stirring into the polenta and the remainder I added as a garnish. I would definitely make the stew again, but the polenta...I think I would use it as a corn chowder instead.
Nashi
February 2, 2018
A dissenting view -- despite loving most Ottolenghi recipes we didn't like this one at all! Found the sweet corn polenta to be too sweet, I think normal polenta would be better. And overall was just too much mush. If you can figure out a way to add more crunch or texture do that (maybe some nuts or seeds? or have it on the side with something else?).
caninechef
August 7, 2017
I also just made this for the first time. Eggplant was similar but a bit of an upgrade from a standard household recipe. The corn was wonderful though I used many of the tips below ( microwave, immersion blender). Perhaps the original version comes out silkier but I loved the results I got in no more time than it took to make the eggplant sauce. I have to wonder if the original version is geared toward the commercial kitchen and does not hold any real advantages for the household cook making 2-4 servings at a time. It seems other restaurant recipes that have also appeared here have the same issue, techniques that make sense in a commercial setting but are overkill for the home cook.
stephanieRD
August 6, 2017
Made the recipe exactly as it was...EXCEPT what I thought was a container of frozen tomatoes leftover turned out to be some marinara (hah, freezer burn got the label), but it still turned out fantastic. My food at-home food critic raved about it. Served this alongside a pork tenderloin and it was a lovely Sunday dinner.
Cheryl
February 22, 2017
Very good. I would double the eggplant part of the recipe next time and cook it a little longer. I made regular polenta.
nancy401
August 31, 2016
I use the corn right off the cob without cooking it before it is pureed. I then add water in at the cooking stage to get the consistency I want. Much faster and very flavourful. This method depends on having very fresh summer sweet corn, preferably from the field that day. Red wine in the sauce also works well. This is hands down my favourite summer corn recipe.
Joanna
September 8, 2016
Thank you for the suggestion! I was thinking of doing something similar with the corn that I bought today from a local farm. I didn't want to over cook that delicious corn. Can't wait to try this for dinner tonight.
Muriel E.
August 19, 2016
I cooked 1/2 cup of "true" polenta and added the whole corn kernels to that. I will definitely make it again.
Joan K.
August 15, 2016
I made this with all the vegetables picked fresh today. Turned out fantastic. I didn’t think the eggplant was too oily at all. Ended up pouring off quite a bit of oil at the end of the sauteeing part. The only changes I would make are to the instructions: first note that a medium eggplant probably should weigh about a pound, and second, the number of ears of corn should be limited to however many will provide the 1.25 lbs of kernels required in the recipe body. My ears were so big, I ended up with over 9 oz of corn kernels left after I measured out the 1.25 lbs. specified using only four ears.
eveross
April 10, 2016
if you roast the eggplant for this recipe, do you dice it before roasting? Someone said 20 minutes at 400 degrees....its fabulous as written, but roasting is healthier than frying and I want to make this again!
julita84
October 18, 2015
Although this dish was tasty, it was much richer and heavier than I had imagined. Also, I used frozen corn kernels, and the consistency of the polenta didn't reach the desired thickness: I added a bit of flour, which helped a lot.
LoveToCook
October 3, 2015
This is absolutely delicious. I used only farm fresh ingredients from the market. Both husband and son enjoyed it. Yummy!
Cypripedium
August 26, 2015
I made this dish and it is wonderful! However, I handled the sweet corn quite differently by cutting it off the cob, making sure to scraping the cob to get all of the juicy "milk." All of this went into a microwave-safe glass bowl and, after adding just a couple of tablespoons of water, I covered it and cooked it on high in the microwave for about 5 minutes. I then broke down the cooked corn in the food processor as directed and put it on the stove to reduce. I will continue to prepare it this way in the future. It simplifies the process, captures all of the corn's goodness, and eliminates the need to cook away so much excess water.
Jaimie M.
July 28, 2016
This was a wonderful suggestion, especially for summer when it's too hot to cook anyway. I followed your directions but needed to microwave about 10 minutes. I also used cream cheese, since I didn't have feta, and it was divine!
George S.
August 13, 2015
Don't waste the corn cobs, they make excellent broth, just put them in a sauce pan, breaking them if necessary, barely cover with water, and simmer for 30 minutes or more. You can add excess liquid from the fresh corn polenta you're making. Corn cob broth makes an excellent base for soups of all kinds. It's sweet, so it lends itself to tart and savory additions, such as sherry or balsamic vinegar, tamarind paste, etc. The broth can be greatly reduced, if you wish. To store it, I bring it to a boil, pour into a quart canning jar, seal, let cool, and store refrigerated for up to a month.
Alyssa
July 15, 2015
Just made this tonight, and I've decided I could eat this polenta everyday for every meal forever. Seriously divine. I used fresh summer sweet corn, and only used half the feta called for (it was all I had). Still rich and fabulous. Made the eggplant sauce as is, and it's also delicious. I used fresh cherry tomatoes, though I think I might actually try canned San Marzano tomatoes next time to add a little more zing to the flavor. Awesome recipe, worth the effort.
Chicgail
July 6, 2015
I'm freezing the extra sweet corn water. It's too good to throw away. I figure it'll be fabulous in a chowder.
Lusty D.
June 21, 2015
Does anyone know if the oregano is fresh or dried?? Thinking fresh.. Suggestions are welcome.
808GRINDS
August 1, 2015
I used (freeze) dried oregano as it was what I had on hand. Cookbookchick is right ... use less than what you would with fresh herbs. I also suggest you pour the dried herbs in the palm of your hands and rub together to release the oils!
Tbird
June 3, 2015
AMAZING. The Feta made this so creamy. In fact, my kids thought the polenta had the consistency - and even flavor - of scrambled eggs (in a good way!) I used someone's suggestion of using an immersion hand blender, rather than a food processor. This left us with a creamy base, and great kernels of fresh corn. It was like a creamed corn, but so much better! I think next time, I might use red wine (or balsamic) to add a bit more "kick" to the eggplant, but it was amazing as is. Thanks for the recipe!
Marissa
November 10, 2014
Is it possible to use a sweet wine instead of a dry wine? I don't like dry wine and I want to buy a wine I'll drink after I use it. Maybe if I omit the sugar or add some sort of vinegar to balance the sweetness?
sevenfaces
November 8, 2014
This dish as a whole is gorgeous but the fresh sweet corn polenta with feta and butter stirred through is my new favourite thing of all time. SO GOOD. I poured the corn broth out of the pot and used an immersion blender for a slightly less fiddly work flow, and only poured about a quarter back in. Thinking of what to do with the rest now!
Christina S.
September 17, 2014
HO-LY COW this was awesome. I had a pound of Japanese eggplant from the CSA, so I upped to about two cups of tomatoes and about a quarter-cup water. If the sauce gets a little dry while it sits, heat it up with another splash of wine. Also, if the feta comes in an 8-oz package, that extra little ounce in the polenta won't hurt anyone ;)
Allison
September 16, 2014
This recipe was amazing! I didn't measure the water when making the polenta. I just filled the pot to just cover the corn kernels. I used sweet summer corn from the farmers market and it was delicious! I also roasted the eggplant
Afsana L.
September 11, 2014
Made this for lunch today ~ the polenta recipe is a gem, and worth the time and effort.
sl(i)m
September 10, 2014
Has anyone tried freezing the sauce as a way of preserving a too-bountiful crop of eggplants?
Susan W.
September 12, 2014
I froze two batches of Francis Lams ratatouille. It worked beautifully, so I am sure this sauce would freeze as well.
Susan W.
July 21, 2015
Omg..I am so happy to hear from a FL Ratatouille fan. I'm gearing up to fill my freezer with it.
lilroseglow
August 21, 2014
I really wanted to try the fresh polenta, but weeknight schedule did not permit. BUT the eggplant sauce over dried polenta was fantastic and a wonderful weeknight alternative. My whole family enjoyed it, and were already asking me to make it again perhaps adding additional ingredients (suggestions ranged from onion to mushrooms to Italian sausage.) So this will become a regular for me, and eventually I will get around to incorporating the fresh polenta. Can't wait to try it that way!
Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the recipe.
MarieH
August 18, 2014
I love this recipe but so much oil. Has anyone tried roasting the eggplant instead of frying?
ChiCook
August 18, 2014
Yes! I actually made it tonight by roasting the eggplant. I had made it this way last year (see comments below) with extra veggies. Today, I just roasted the eggplant with some olive oil at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Renee B.
August 19, 2014
I cut the oil way back without hurting the results. I think I used only 1/4 cup. This is after making it two other times reducing oil a little bit more each time. Roasting the eggplant is a great idea too. I'll probably give that a try next time.
ladykave
August 13, 2014
I just made the polenta to serve with Alon Shya's whole roasted cauliflower recipe (a favorite from Food52), and man is it delicious!!! I didn't need to use the reserved liquid, the puree was plenty loose when I returned it to the pan. I cooked it down a bit, and instead of feta and butter (we mostly cook vegan food at home), I added some white miso and olive oil. Insanely good.
SCalabretta
August 12, 2014
This was absolutely delicious and, using dried polenta, very fast. I will definitely be using the eggplant sauce for pasta in the future. Wonderful recipe.
Yazoolulu
July 31, 2014
I made this tonight and it was incredible. The only substitution I made was using red and white balsamic vinegar in place of the wine. The whole family loved it and there isn't a bit leftover.
Marsha G.
July 19, 2014
I made the sauce recently but not the polenta. I topped traditional polenta with the sauce, which was delish! And pretty fast to make. The only thing I changed was that the finished sauce was very undersalted; I ended up adding 1/2 to 3/4 t. salt to my sauce. BTW, I made my polenta in my slow cooker using America's Test Kitchen's recipe from volume 1 of its two slow cooker cook books, and it, too, was delish with the added plus of no stirring (and stirring . . . and stirring . . .).
Gilda B.
February 13, 2014
For tomorrow i will be serving the eggplant recipe on the cover of his book Plenty, and this one will be on my next week menus!! Can't wait, YUMMY!!
Renee B.
January 28, 2014
Oh yum! I made this tonight for book club and it was a big hit. Who knew polenta was so easy and delicious. Confession, I used frozen sweet organic corn from Trader Joe's.
Reneesworld
September 10, 2013
This was divine! I did not use that much Feta: just about one ounce or so for two of us. The eggplant tomato sauce is spectacular.
Donna
August 28, 2013
I made a vegan version of the polenta by using dairy free margarine and replacing feta with 1tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (for the cheesy flavour). Yum loved it and recommending the above recipe to friends and family.
fhp
August 26, 2013
I've been making this fresh corn polenta for a couple of years now and everyone loves it. Last night we had it with platters of Johnny Cakes, Bacon and fresh Tomatoes. Summer!!!
Sassafras
August 25, 2013
Wondering if this is allowed to sit will it become thick enough to slice???
Lisa W.
August 5, 2013
Would it be possible to cook the ears whole and then cut off the kernels and process them? I know it wouldn't come out the same weight, but it seems easier to do than than cook the kernels and fish them out with a slotted spoon.
Kristen M.
August 6, 2013
I've never tried it, but it would probably work -- you may need to add splashes of the cooking liquid while processing. Alternately, rather than fishing out the kernels, you can also just strain the kernels over a bowl, reserving the broth in case you want to add any back in.
crabby Q.
July 25, 2013
Made this last night. Delish!! We licked our plates clean. I used 1.5 cups of water to cook the kernels and added the whole amount back, but prob could have used less, as it took awhile to cook down. And used half the butter. Was still very rich and yummy.
rags
July 24, 2013
I made this twice last week with fresh vegetables from my garden. As long as fresh corn is available, I will never again use dried polenta. This had such a wonderful, sweet corn flavor! The second time I made it I topped it with crispy fried scallions, toasted almond pieces and some lime zest. I then drizzled a small amount of sriracha marinade I had made for chicken skewers over the polenta. It was a delicious confluence of east meets mediterranean. The possibilities are endless.
za'atar
July 3, 2013
Normally I think of polenta with a tomato sauce as being a heavy, winter-time dish. It was nice to see this fresh, summer version highlighting seasonal produce. I will definitely be returning to this recipe throughout the summer.
iflamm
June 22, 2013
I made this today with frozen corn out of necessity - it worked! Instead of the eggplant sauce, I served Food 52's Swearing Like A Sailor Stuffed Eggplant over the polenta. Excellent!
Nuala
September 14, 2012
Could I prep the polenta to step 3 ahead of time and pick it up at step 4 after my guests arrive? I worry about the polenta sitting for a while affecting the texture, but if that's not the case it would be wonderful to do as much in advance as possible!
Kristen M.
September 14, 2012
Yes, you could definitely do that, although cooking down the puree in step 4 can be the most time-consuming part (depending on how much liquid you add back). I think you'd also be fine doing step 4 in advance. You may just need to add in a bit more liquid as you reheat, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Hope you like it!
EmmaC
September 12, 2012
This recipe is so delicious! I substituted eggplant with sauteed shitake mushrooms. Instead of creating the sauce, I added a bit of tomato paste to the corn polenta. I also did not have to use any cooking liquid in the polenta reduction. It turned out delicious! Definitely going in my "go-to dish" list.
Mjhanlon
September 10, 2012
This is a fabulous summer side especially with very fresh sweet corn. I sliced the eggplant lengthwise and brushed generously with EV olive oil and baked at 450 for about 25 minutes and then diced and followed rest of the recipe.
mommysinthekitchen
September 2, 2012
5 ears of corn yielded less than a pound. nevertheless i followed suggestions from comments and added only a tad of the cornwater back after processing. the consistency was perfect, but i actually found the polenta to be too sweet! anyone else?
pixielated
August 24, 2012
I had 3 ears of corn and a 1/2 cup of dried polenta in my pantry, so I decided to use this recipe as a basis for using them both up. First, I prepared the dried polenta with a couple cups of water, stirring for about an hour, like my grandma used to do. I poured that polenta into a bowl, and used the same pot to prepare the fresh corn with these instructions. After pureeing the cooked corn, I simply mixed it together with the prepared polenta, added my salt, butter and cheese, and voila! Super creamy, super sweet. Thanks for the idea to use fresh! I think I'll always mix these two from now on...
lschmoyer
August 10, 2012
This was a terrific way to use super fresh veggies. My corn was very fresh and juicy, so I didn't add any water back before cooking to thicken. I can't wait to make this again!
Like another user, my eggplant soaked up more oil than I expected. Is there a trick or technique for preventing eggplant from absorbing so much oil? Perhaps warming the oil to a higher temperature?
Like another user, my eggplant soaked up more oil than I expected. Is there a trick or technique for preventing eggplant from absorbing so much oil? Perhaps warming the oil to a higher temperature?
kaitlin.c
August 8, 2012
I found that some of the amounts were way off in the recipe. I weighed my corn kernels and had more like 2 1/2 lbs. from 6 ears, not 1 1/4. My ears were on the large side, but I can't imagine how small they'd have to be to yield only 1 1/4 lbs. Secondly, since I had so much corn, I increased the water to ~4 cups. After pureeing, my corn was so liquidy that I returned it to the pot without any of the cooking liquid and it took a full HOUR of simmering to thicken to the point of being edible.
Up until the point when it took quadruple the time expected to cook the polenta, everything else came to gether quickly and easily. I decreased both the butter and cheese a bit, and it turned out delicious, and was great and unique way to use fresh summer corn, eggplant, and tomatoes. I'll definitely make it again, although with some major adjustments next time.
Up until the point when it took quadruple the time expected to cook the polenta, everything else came to gether quickly and easily. I decreased both the butter and cheese a bit, and it turned out delicious, and was great and unique way to use fresh summer corn, eggplant, and tomatoes. I'll definitely make it again, although with some major adjustments next time.
JORJ
August 15, 2012
I had a similar problem when I tried to thicken my corn... I ended up giving up and just deciding it was corn soup... pretty good anyway! Then I made pasta and tossed that with the topping instead. I wonder if it is about the starch content -- the corn I had was super sweet and I wonder if the corn they use in this is starchier...
Kristen M.
August 15, 2012
Thanks for your comments -- I just added a note to the recipe about this step, so that hopefully more people can avoid the extended stirring phase!
Cassi S.
August 6, 2012
Polenta...Eggplant... two of my favorite things! What a delicious, fresh recipe. I used half the butter, and half the cheese in the polenta- but added just a pinch of red chili flakes and a couple of cloves of garlic to the Eggplant sauce. MMM
rederin
August 6, 2012
This was delicious. Really wonderful. I loved the polenta, and the sauce. I do have to say the recommended water amount was way too much, but I didn't weigh the kernels, so that could have been the problem. I just let it boil down a bit, and it was fine, just took longer than expected. Next time I would use maybe half the cheese, but that is a personal preference. The dish is very rich, but the upside is that it made us eat smaller portions! I served it with a link of spicy Italian sausage, and would have been just as happy without that. It definitely stands on its own.
avimom
August 6, 2012
Made the eggplant sauce last week and froze until last night. I served it over rigatoni for last-minute guests and it was a big hit. I used fresh tomatoes that weren't too sweet, so I added a touch more sugar. The sauce froze very well. I will be making another batch this week if more eggplants come my way.
niki5959
August 6, 2012
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I'll definitely make this again! I had no idea that you could make polenta from fresh corn. Thanks for such a great recipe!
BiCoastalCook
August 4, 2012
We ate this with friends last night. SO DELICIOUS! I could eat that fresh corn polenta for dessert. Hmm, I do have some leftovers...maybe I will.
Betsy S.
August 2, 2012
I made this last night and it blew my friend's mind. Pure, delectable garden goodness. The flavor of the polenta is so fresh and sweet that it's almost overwhelming. The eggplant sauce anchors it and brings it home. Brilliant.
Monique P.
August 2, 2012
After Betsy made this for me last night I made it for my husband tonight. I used less butter and less cheese but added some parmasean cheese to the polenta. Fabulous! He loved it!
ChiCook
August 2, 2012
Delicious! I made this for friends last night (I had planned on making something entirely different until I saw this recipe at 4 p.m.!) and they LOVED it. A little too unhealthy for me to make on a regular basis, but it's perfect for dinner parties. For an evening at home, I'd consider making the polenta without so much butter and cheese and top it with a simple saute of whatever veggies I have at home.
ChiCook
August 23, 2012
I made this again, but this time made a healthier variation, as I didn't want to fry anything. I basically made a ratatouille of sorts--onion, tomato, eggplant, chard, leek and fennel--and cooked it with a bit of white wine until it broke down into something that resembled the consistency of the original. I also left out most of the feta from the original, and added only 1 tablespoon on butter to the polenta. It's definitely less decadent than the original, but for us, it was a lighter weekday dish. Still delicious, though!
ChiCook
August 26, 2013
I made it yet again--and differently again! As someone else suggested, I roasted the eggplant instead of frying, and also used a package of cremini mushrooms and a green pepper as I only had a small eggplant. Then I followed the rest of the recipe, though I added only 1.5 tbsp of butter and subbed in goat cheese. Yum!
Kristen M.
August 1, 2012
kitchenwlittleb -- I haven't tried this with an immersion blender, but it would probably work pretty well. Like you said, I'm guessing it would just leave some chunks, but that could be good!
Betsey
August 1, 2012
I just made this last week and we absolutely swooned over the polenta. Had an abundance of green beans and topped polenta with braised green beans in place of eggplant. Divine. Granny G, I freeze eggplant sauce and it tastes better for the rest.
Granny G.
August 1, 2012
Could you make the eggplant sauce ahead of time and freeze? I have an over abundance of eggplant, from the garden, and this looks REALLY good!
(]Celia[)
August 1, 2012
I have some great caramelized corn kernels I sliced off corn we grilled, but not enough for this recipe. However, I also have a tube of premade polenta. How can I substitute?
Kristen M.
August 1, 2012
(]Celia[) (cool user name, by the way!) -- I don't think I would try to combine those two in the food processor -- you'd probably just end up with a gooey paste and lose the pure corn flavor. But you could try a mini version of this recipe by simply pureeing the caramelized corn kernels with a little water.
(]Celia[)
August 13, 2012
Thanks Kristen! I wound up going for it, but I used an immersion blender and didn't blend very much after I'd added the grilled corn. It worked well, so I thought I'd share in case anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation. I love the texture imparted by the corn kernels and the little chunks of feta!
kitchenwlittleb
August 1, 2012
For the polenta, could you use an immersion blender with the corn in the cooking liquid? I know that this would mean a chunkier polenta, but would it turn too much into mush?
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